Centrifuge apparatus for obtaining blood plasma



Feb, l5, 1949. w. ARoNsoN CENTRIFUGE PPARATUS FOR OBTAINING, BLOOD PLASMA ATTORNEYA Feb. 15, i949. l w. ARoNsoN SLM CENTRIFUGE APPARATUS FOR OBTI'NING BLOOD PLASMA- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1944 74 INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

or well-being of the donor.

Patented Feb. 15, 1949 CENTRIFUGE APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING BLOOD PLASMA William Aronson, New York, N. Y.

Application July 25, 1944, Serial No. 546,548 7 Claims. (Gl. 233--28)` This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for separating plasma from the red cells of blood and for reinfusing the red cells into the donor of the blood.

It has been determined that blood donations made for obtaining blood plasma can be made more frequently than Was previously the case if the red cells of the blood are returned to the donor after the separation of the blood plasma from the donated blood. This enables more blood plasma to be obtained Within the same period of time from the same donor that was rheretofore possible, without impairing the health Therefore, in order to accomplish ,that result in a practical way it is highly desirable, if not necessary, to effect the separation of the blood plasma from the donors blood and to return the red cells to the donor Within a short period of time so that donors may be encouraged to give frequent blood donations for plasma without being subjected to too much inconvenience or loss of time. More specically, in accordance with the present invention provision is made for performingall of. the necessary operations, namely, takingthe blood from the donor, separating` the blood plasma from the donated blood, and reinfusing the red cells into the donor, all Within say about thirty minutes or less, also, pursuantto the present invention, the needle through which the blood is drawn from the donor can remainin position in the donors arm after kthe blood donation is completed, ready for use in reinfusing the red cells immediately after the separation of the plasma.

Therefore, a prime object ofthe present invention ist@ provide a method of an apparatus for eiecting a rapid separation of blood plasma from the donors blood and for quickly and easily reinfusing the red blood cells into the donor. Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus which can be properly sterilized and kept sterile throughout the process of Aobtaining the blood from the donor, separating the yplasma therefrom, and reinfusing the red cells into the donor.

A further object of the invention is to obtain as high a yield as possible of the blood plasma from each blood donation while at the same time enabling the process to Vbe yperformed quickly so v2 that the red cells can be infused into the donor within a short time after the blood donation is f made.

The above and other objects, features and advantages will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings: y f Fig. 1 is a view of apparatus embodying the present invention and illustrates the condition of the apparatus at the time the bloodr is taken vfromy the donor, the centrifuge-vessel being shown in Vvertical section;

Fig. 2'is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view, in elevation, of the apparatus including auxiliary parts Ifor removing the blood plasma and red cells as separate constituent volumes into separate receptacles;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the apparatus embodying the present invention comprises a centrifuge-vessel I0 which,v as here shown, is'preferably in the form of ask made of metal. Said vessel removably mounted on y a rotary disk or plate I2 which is xed to and rotatable by the shaft I4 ofan electric motor M. Centrifuge-vessel ID comprises a conical side Wall I6 in fluid tight relation with the bottom I8 of the vessel. Said bottom I8 has a central depressed portion 20 forming a well 22 and the annular part 24 of bottom I8 which surrounds wall 22 slopes downwardly toward said well, so that any small quantity of liquid in the vessel accumulates in the Well. The disk I2 on which the centrifuge-Vessel I is mounted is Provided with a central depressed'part or Well 26 to receive the well forming part 20 of the vessel IIJ and further provides convenient means for centering the vessel I0 with respect to the axis of rotation. it being understood that well-forming part 20 of the vessel has an accurate removable t in well-forming part '26 of plate I2. The bottom I8 of vessel I0 is provided with a laterally eX- tending peripheral flange 28 having a plurality, here shown as three, circumferentially spaced open-end slots 30 in which the shanks of swivel on the line5-5 of bolts 32 fastened to plate l2 are removably ref ceived for engagement by companion lniurled nuts 3d for securely fastening the `vessel iii to the rotary plate l2. Said plate can be secured 'tb motor shaft I4 in any suitable way but as here shown rotary plate l2 is provided with a depend ing collar 3e which is xed to shaft Id by a cross pin 33 and by a set screw d.

Vessel lf3 is provided with an upper cylindrical portion 42`integral with conical side wall l5 and terminating at its upper edge in an opening to receive the cylindrical peripheral continuous skirt Mi of a cap 46, said cap having a peripheral flange 48 which engages or seats on-the top peripheral edge 5t of cylindrical part 42 of vessel lll. A pair of spring clips 52 are fixed to the cylindf cal part l2 and releasably engage the edge `of flange 43 of cap le for holding the latter releasably in position. It will be understood. that skirt 44 has a snug t with the inner cylindrical surface of part ft2 of vessel I0 to provide a fluid tight closure for said vessel. .Cap i6 is'prcvided with a guide tube 54 for the neat-operated rod indicator 56, the float which is connected to said rod being indicated at 58. The upper por- :tion of indicator rod 5S projects-through an opening in the top of cap 46 and is enclosed within a glass or other transparent housing 6G having a iluid tight connection with cap liti. Housin. 6l] is preferably'calibrated as shown in Fig. 3 to v'serve as a dial indicatorfor the upper end of rod 5t.A A tube B2 is fixed to the top-of cap 45 and depends therefrom into vessel ill when the cap is in position. Said tube communicates with the'interior of vessel Il) and'vvith a fitting B4 i secured to cap'll at the outer side thereof. A

compress'ible bulb E@ for creating a partial vacu' um in vessel I!) at the time the donors blood'is VVreceived inxsaid vessel directly Ifrom the donor as hereinafter more particularly explained, iscon- Ynected to the fittingV 64 by a rubber tubing 68 Yand a nipple l!) which is) carried by' fitting 54.

The'rubber tubing f'contains cotton -l or other 12, leaving a'portion 68a. ofk tube 68 in position fon fittingjl of cap 46 vas shown in Fig. Band `filled With'cotton'or other air filtering material "il, `thus providing the vessel l0 with an air Alilter after the bulb 66 `is removed, so as to prevent the entrance of bacteria into the vessel.

Vessel lll is provided witha plurality of cirlcumferentially spaced vvertical lpartitionY plates ld (Figs. l and f4) Whichextend vertically down- Wardly vfrom the upper? end of conical wall l5 to a short distance from the bottom I8 of the vessel. kiThe outer ends of said plates 'M are fixed tothe innersurface of conical wall i6 andy the 1inner ends of said platesvarefiixe'd to acentral :tube $16 lwhich is Vdisposed axially of Vvessel `ib fand-"extends 4verticallyxfrom Vthe upper fende of vfsaidrplates butterminates at its lower 1 end 'i8 'above thelower edges 80 of said plates. A center tubeSZ isxed to and depends fromthe top of capu and registers with tube l5 of the vessel lil, the lower end of tube 82 seating on the upper end oftube 16 when cap 4S is in position, so that tubes 'l'and 82Aform in effect a continuous `tube'extending downwardly Ifrom cap 36. A tube 185i isfcarried by cap d6 in movable relation there- Ato and ispositioned within tubes $2 and 8i, hav- .ninga sliding frictional -t with tube 82.

Said

4 tube 84 projects through an opening 86 in cap l5 in fluid tight relation therewith and is provided With an outer nipple 88 having a ange 80 which engages the top `of cap 5t for limiting the inward movement of tube 84. A resilient rubber closure cap 92 ts removably on nipple 8B.

As shown in Fig. A1 a hollow needle 94 is projected through the closure member or cap 92 into tube Sd and is connected by exible rubber tubing 95 to the needle (not shown) which is projected in the usual way in the vein in the donors arm for obtaining the latters blood donation.

Tubing 96 is provided with a glass or other transparent insert so that the "ow of `blood can be observed. 'While blood is owing Yfrom the donor through tubing 26 and needle ad into vessel i, bulb $5 is operated to produce a partial vacuum invessel il! to induce the flow of blood fromthe 'donor into said vessel. In order to prevent coagulation of the blood in vessel l0, a suitable quantity of an anti-coagulant, for example, a 2.5 solution of sodium citrate is placed in the vessel for the mixture therewith of the blood received in the vessel from the donor. The usual blood donation consists of about '500 cc. and this is received `directly from the. donor. in .vessel l0 invwhichit is .mixed with about 100 cc. of ythesodium citrate solution. Accordingly, when the gage rod rises to the 600 cc. mark on housing captif), the

Ytaking of blood from the donor is terminated. It

VLike-wise, after the blood is taken from the donor,

. theloulb E5 is removed by cutting the tub-ing @tivas Y*described above,'and the vessel lll is .thus'pro- `vided with an air lter 58a.

.;After' the usual quantity of blood, vordinarily about l5G() cc., is taken from lthe donor and received in vessel lll, the tubing 96 is removed from the outlet endof the needle in the donors-arm without, however, removing said needle. The

- tourniquet which Was previously appliedto the i from'clotting in said passage.

donor, Vas in the'usual method of blood donation,l is removed, and a stylet is introduced into the needle While the latter remains in position in the donor, said stylet serving to 'fill the passage of said needlefthereby to prevent blood Y After the blood given by the donor is treated as hereinafter described to remove the plasma'therefrom, Athe `residual red cells together with a suitable quanthe reinfusion process, the stylet is removed from the needle and the end of 'a tube leadingfrom a bottle or other receptaclejcontaining the red cells and the saline solutionfis connected tothe needle and the receptacle'is positioned so that the mixture of red cells and saline solution can ow from said receptacleto and through the needle into the donor.

In order to separate the plasma from the red cells in the blood received in vessel i9, the blood is first centrifuged in ,said vessel and for .that purpose vessel lil is mounted on rotary plate I2 of the centrifuge and secured thereto by means of the bolts 32 as described above. It .Will'be understood that bulb andneedle 94 are re- 4separate moved from cap 46beforefthe'vessel-IU is 'rotated @forcentrifugingthe bloodinvessel; preferfably, rsaid-bulbvand needle 'are/'removed before thevesselV lll is mounted on plate lf2. Needle 94 isaremoved-without'removing yclosure cap Si! and :since the Vlatter is formed ofvresilient rubber, :aperture lformed v-vvhen the' needle was projected .through the cap automatically closes andiseals itseltvfhen the needlefis removed. `The self-sealingicapSZ =and `the ltera (Fig, 3) formed -as described above prevent the entrance of bacteria :intovessel it and provide efficient `rneanstofac- .complishthe quick removal of -saidbulb and the @asesora i'indicating when vthe plasma is' substantially v`fall removed from vessell to bottle im). yIn this connection, it will-be understood that the volumetric proportionsof plasma and red 4cells are approximatelyequal and that since, as in the` average' case, the quantity ofthe blood donation needle Sli while maintaining the sterile condition .of-the blood in vessel l0.

Hessel l@ ymounted on-.pla-te lZisrotated-at higlrspeed, -say `about '7000- R. 'P.` M., to centrifuge .the blood vin saidV vessel. .centrifuging operation vary, vwe have found While 'the' time` lof the thatafter centrifuging the blood for-about ten to fifteen minutes, a high yield' yof plasma isA obtained. :Due to the centrifugal action the plasma and? red ycells separate in-'vessel lll and'vvvhen the rotation ofv saidvessel is stopped the yred cells' and .plasma stratiy in vessel lll rvvith the v`plasma yabove the red` cells in said vessel.

vThe 'plasma andredcells Iare now kin such condition that the plasma and red cells can be obtained in separate constituent volumes,r so that the red cells can be lreinfused into the donor,V thus enabling plasma to 4be procured' substantially without significant `loss 1to the donor ofthe red cell value ofV the dcnors blood.

The presently' preferred method ofandf apparatus' for separating the plasma and red cells into constituent vvolumes will now be described:

'As illustrated in `Fig. 3, containers, such as bottles it@ and it, preferably having volume scale-graduations, as indicated, are provided to 'receive the plasma and Ired cells, respectively, 'from vessel it. nected to a Y-tube IM by iiexible tubing lll@ and ll8,-'respectively, said tubing beingprovided with y Saidbottles lll@ and H92 are convpinch clamps lill and H2, for releasably closing 'the "passages through said tubing. Each of said bottles itil and i532 is provided With ya compressible air-exhaust bulb lill for ,producing a partial vacuum vin the companion bottle. A needle 'lili is connected to the Y-tube llll'by a 'iiexible tubing H8. Said needle is projected :through cap`92 into tube lill of centrifuge vessel i0. In the roperation of removing the plasma 'from vessel lli, the tube'lfl is positioned so that its lovvei` end is above the level ofthe'layer of blood cells, said level being indicated by the dotted line C in Fig. 3, and the level of plasma above said cells being'indic'ated bythe dotted` .ing it is open, bulb iM of plasma bottle lll@ is 'operated to exhaustair from said bottle to vrp1oduce a partial vacuum therein so' that thelplasma Vil-ovvs by suction from vessel lli upwardly into tube 8'4 and from the latter through needle'll, Y-tube lllll, and'tubing it into said bottle. The scale'onsaid bottle provides convenientniean's for coagulant provided in vessel'lt, the volumere- Amoved Afronfl'vesselflll to Yplasma bottle it@ in the vplasma lremoval operation is about 300 cc. which isiabout one half of the total volume of blood and -anti`coagulant in "vessel lil at the conclusionV 0i the-blood 'taking operation. Accordingif when the scale `on bottle le@ indicates that a volume of about 300 cc. haspassed from vessel il) into said bottle, the plasma removal operationjis termin- 4ated'fand the red-cell removal operation is begun. l

For removing the red cells from vessel la into "bottle lfl, tube mi is lowered so that its lower end is `infthe Well 22, and pinch clamp Till! vl'being y tightened to closev tube l- 'and pinch clampfl l2 -thereinfusion operation is performed.

be retractcdtc open tube lili?, bulb llt of-bottle 4t2 isfoperated-to produce a partialvacuunr in saidlbottle to cause the red cells mixed With-anticoagulant to flow by suction linto said bottle through tube B4, needle i l, Y-tube i'liand tube tilt. in order to compensate for the volume reduction due to the removalof the plasma from the donorls'blood, a suitable quantity of normal saline solution i. e; about 200 cc. is provided in bottle lilpreierably before the blood cells are reinov ed to said bottle from vessel lil.

As soon as all the red cells are transferred from vessellll to vbottle itil, in which they are mixed with the vsaline solution previouslyfplaced therein, In perlformingthisoperationythe tube itt is discon- Vgive excellent results.

nected from the Yetube lll@ and its outlet endis connected tothe needle inthe donors arm, the stylet having been just removed as explained above. lBottle 1&2 is inverted and raised to a suitablelevel to allovv the red-cell saline mixture to'flovv'by gravity from the bottle-to the needle and throughr the latter into the donor.

it Will'be understood that the plasma derived in accordance withk the method and by the apparatus of ,the present invention can be processed `in the usual Way for its intended use.

VThe vessel it and the other parts of theap- Iparatus can'be easily cleaned and sterilized. In

respect tovessel ill, it Willbe noted that access tothe' interior thereof is obtained through a com- `paratively'vvide top opening When cap l is removed. The caps i2? of bottles lii and m2 are removable from the tops of said'bottles so that the'latter can be properlywashed and sterilized. Similarly/the other parts of the apparatus can be 'readily cleaned andsterilized after each use and f vmade 'ready for use in performing the blood separation'and`.reinfusionprocess.

The'vessel ylil 'is desirably of small size 'con- 'sistent with the quantity of blood centrifuged therein. vBy Way ci illustration but Without limitation, it-may'be stated that a vessel having a diameter .of about '7.1/2 inches at the bottom of conical Wall i6 and a diameter of about 21/2 inches at the top of said conical Wall and having a height of'abou't31/` inches measured perpendicularly'betvveen thelbase and upper endr of said conical Wall has been found in actual practice to The conical Wall i6 is of advantage asit enables the vessel to be oi small height 'and yet capable oi retaining the blood therein' duringthe centrifuging operation at high speed Without the blood tending to flow out of the vessel during the rapid rotation thereof. The

tube 'i8 to which plates 'I4 extend is preferably 'plates and that said chambers are in communication with the central part of the vessel below the bottom end of central tube 16.

While I have shown and described the preferred mode of practicing my invention various changes may be made therein. It is Within the scope of this invention to withdraw the red cells from vessel lil before the plasma is transferred from said vessel, and in such case tube 84 will be placed in communication with the layer of red cells and the latter removed by suction to bottle 102 while the plasma is still in vessel IB where it can remain while the red cells'are reinfused into the donor, and itwill be understood that if this procedure is followed the plasma bottle lll@ and the Y-tube IM can be dispensed with, the tube l08 of bottle |02 being connected to needle H6. Other changes and adaptations of my invention will probably occur to skilled artisans in view of this disclosure and may be made without departing from the underlying idea of the invention with the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Apparatus for separating the plasma and red cells of blood from each other, comprising a cen-l trifuge-vessel having an inlet for receiving the blood from the donor, saidvessel being rotatable about a vertical axis and having a bottom inclined downwardly from the periphery thereof toi ward the axis of rotation whereby the blood and plasma flow toward the central part of said bottom and stratify in separate layers on said bottom after the centrifuging operation, and outletA vessel, said tube having an outlet for the passage of said plasma or cells from said vessel.

2. Apparatus for separating the plasma and red cells of blood from each other, comprising a centrifuge-vessel having an inlet for receiving the blood from the donor, and outlet means comprising a tube movably mounted in said vessel to position the tube inlet at different distances from the bottom of said vessel to place said tube inlet in communication with the layers of plasma and blood cells, respectively, stratied by the rotation of said vessel, said tube having an outlet for the passage of said plasma or cells from said vessel, a stationary tube in said vessel axially thereof, said first mentioned tube being movable in said stationary tube, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced partition plates extending from the side wall of said vessel to said stationary tube.

3. Apparatus for treating blood of a blood donation, comprising a centrifuge-vessel in which the donors blood is received and centrifuged for separating the plasma from the red cells, said vessel having a bottom, a conical side wall upstanding directly from said bottom and converge'- ing upwardly therefrom, a tube disposed within said vessel axially thereof, said tube having a top opening, and a closure member removably mounted on said tube for closing said opening, said closure member having a needle-penetrable part to provide anopening in registry with the bore of said tube to receive a hollow needle in communication with said tube, for the admission of blood into said vessel and for the removal of the red cells therefrom following the centrifuging of the blood'therein, said tube being vertically movable in said vessel to position its lower end adjustably near the bottom of the vessel.

4. Apparatus for treating blood of a blood donation, comprising a centrifuge-vessel in which the donors blood is received and centrifuged for separating the plasma from the red cells, said vessel having a bottom provided with a central depression forming a well, said bottom having a part surrounding said well and sloping downwardly to said well, a discharge tube mounted in said vessel axially thereof and having its inlet end projecting into'said Well, said vessel having a top opening and a closure member for said opening, said tube extending through said closure member and having its upper outer end disposed extercally of said vessel.

5. Apparatus for treating blood of a blood donation, comprising a centrifuge-vessel in which the donors blood is centrifuged for separating the plasma from the red cells, said vessel being rotatable about a vertical axis and having a closed bottom whereby the plasma and red'cells are disposed in different layers in the vessel at the bottom said vessel in separate constituent volumes, and

means for applying suction to said tube.

6. Apparatus for treating blood of a blood donation, comprising a centrifuge-vessel in which the donors blood is received and centrifuged for separating the plasma from the red cells, said vessel being rotatable about a vertical axis, and having a closed bottom1neans for withdrawing the red cells from said vessel in a constituent volume thereof separate from the constituent volume of plasma, said means comprising a tube having its axis disposed axially of said vessel having one end thereof in communication with the interior of said vessel adjacent the bottom thereof and the other end thereof disposed externally of said vessel, said tube beingA adjustable to different levels adjacent the bottom of said vessel, and means for applying suction to said tube to cause the red cells to flow through said tube out of said vessel while the latter is stationary.

'7. Apparatus for treating blood of a blood donation, comprising a centrifuge-vessel inwhich the donors blood is received and centrifuged for separating the plasma from the red cells, said Vessel having a closed bottom, a conical side wall upstanding from said bottom andv having its larger end at said bottom, said bottom being inclined downwardly from said larger end of said side wall toward the axis of rotation to the center part of said bottom whereby the blood and plasma How toward said center part of said bottom and stratify in separate layers on said bottom after the cen-trifuging operation, and a tube disposed within said vessel axially thereof and movably mount- 9 ed to position the tube inlet at diierent distancesk Number from the bottom of said vessel to place said tube 573 09o inlet in communication with the layers o1 plasma, 686642 and blood cells, respectively, stratified by the 10- 7446 17 tation of said Vessel. 5 978238 WILLIAM ARONSON. 1,737,287 4 2,111,508 REFERENCES CITED 2,202,163 The following references are of record in the 2,308,516 fue of this patent: 10 k2,337,291 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,357,238

Number Name Date Re. 16,162 Alexander Sept. 8, 1925 Number 534,367 Hohnsbehn Feb. 19, 1895 15 413,288 

